Viking Announce Two More Ship builds for 2012/21013 Bookings

Viking River Cruises, today announced two more ship builds in 2012 in response to the high demand for 2012 & 2013 bookings.

The new ships are in addition to the four already in production. The new builds will copy that of Viking’s “green” Longship river cruise vessels, including the Viking Prestige and Viking Legend. The Longships will be 443 feet long, feature 95 staterooms per ship and will boast key innovations such as:

Two Explorer Suites—which will be the largest river cruise suites each featuring a separate living room, bedroom, bathroom and private wraparound veranda, offering 270-degree views. Seven 275-square-foot Veranda Suites with a full-size veranda in the living room and a French balcony in the bedroom.

Thirty-nine Veranda Staterooms with full-size verandas. A new all-weather indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace that reinvents the lounge by bringing the outdoor river scenery indoors with retractable floor-to-ceiling glass doors.

Al Fresco dining areas on the Upper deck, adjacent to the lounge to present more dining choices to guests. Sustainability upgrades such as energy-efficient hybrid engines, solar panels, efficient, hybrid propulsion system and an onboard organic herb garden. 

The six ships are scheduled to sail Viking’s most popular European itineraries including the 15-day Grand European Tour, 8-day Romantic Danube, 8-day Danube Waltz, 10-day Tulips & Windmills and 8-day Rhine Getaway.

For further information visit www.vikingrivercruises.co.uk

My First Polar Bear

 

A cold morning and this polar bear was some distance away as it swam past our ship on our cruise with Hurtigruten in Spitsbergen and it's a sight I'll never forget. It was just too far away for me to get a good clear picture with my 300mm.

This one was swimming beside the ship as it crossed over the narrow straits. I’m not really sure who was looking at whom. The lecture the night before (There’s a different one every night) had told us that they hunt Ringed Seals and scavenge for birds eggs and chicks in this area.

You get a lecture on what to do if we encounter a bear on the landings and I have to say I was very impressed that the attitude is that this is the bears’ territory and we are just guests here. In many ways the bears’ lives are put before ours as they are frightened off by a series of steps including flares and loud bangs.

You can find out more at www.hurtigruten.co.uk or The Cruise Line.

Nambia opening up as a cruise Destination.

Namibia is opening up as cruise destination. The Country's Tourist Board has a very good site to give you ideas. The Namibian operator who has the contract for all of the land arrangements for the arriving cruise lines into Walvis Bay and organises all of the excursions and transport options. Abenteuer Afrika Safari and the website is .

Many cruise lines are now formly establised here such as Zegrahm Expeditions but also adventure cruise specialist The Cruise Line is a good place to start in the UK.

Picture courtesy of Fotoseeker